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Neil's guillotine 7-Feb-2012 At 10:10:17 PM f_ladou

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Sunday was bright and sunny for a change. Stretched out on my towel at Bonnie Vale Beach, I was trying to put together a program for the following day. You see, my employer is forcing me to take leave at the moment and since Dominik's day off is Monday, Monday is thus climbing day. Yes, despite the recalcitrant weather.

So, face up gazing at the drifting clouds, I remembered a post by Neil (Monteith) describing a route on Bentrovarto Wall. What was it called again? Guillemets? Grassouillet? Something French anyway:

"Guillotine is mindblowingly good. Pitch one is 22 (or 24 if you don't stand on the tree to start) - pitch two is mega 24 (but prob soft for the grade, its a pumper). […] If you were to do one route at Sublime Point, this would be it."

That got me excited: flipping around, this time watching the fauna drifting, the latest photo of the week came to me in a flash: some fashion conscious dude -- with matching green shorts, top and chalk-bag -- doing "Thai Virus". Somehow I could remember the name of the climb but the crag escaped me. Something about IT. Hex Wall? Digit Cave?:

"Jason Lammers on new route Thai Virus (22) at Binary Cave, Sublime Point, Blue Mountains. There are currently 8 new sport routes and 4 trad routes - all totally dry in the pouring rain, perfect for this wet season."

Putting these two bits of info together, I thought spending the day at Sublime Point would be a terrific idea. There are many new routes that I wanted to try there, including the relatively famous "Theory of Negativity".

It turned out to best the best day of climbing Dominik and I had in a long time. And I ticked nothing.

Nothing.

But who cares?

We basically walked down from the lookout and did routes along the base of the cliff face as they came to us. The first on the list was "Theory of Negativity" (25m, 20). Both Dominik and I agree that this is one of the best grade 20 we ever experienced. This is one long overhanging (4 m over 25 m) jug-fest that'll get you as pumped as a newt on solid rock. The beginning will get your adrenaline flowing and the rest your lactic acid, promised, especially if it's the first climb of the day. Dominik just breezed through it.

Dominik on "Theory of Negativity", the crux below him, the pump to come.

We then moved to the Binary Cave where we jumped on "Birthday Bolts" (18m, 19). We cowardly stick-clipped the first bolt only to realised a moment later that in terms of losers, we just can't be beaten... Another stellar climb on excellent rock. Difficult to ask for more at the grade. BTW, although the topo says 7 bolts to lower-off, it's actually 9. No tick on this one due to failing technique. Dominik breezed through that one too.

Next on the list was "Thirty Three Years" (18m, 21). Now that climb is truly great. Same start as "Birthday Bolts" but it veers left after the third bolt. The crux is like fine French food should be: subtle yet memorable. It's a delicate balancing act involving a left-hand side pull together with a high right-hand undercling. From there, controlled body tension allows you to delicately pull with your left toes to free your left hand and reach the seemingly impossibly high hold that you know constitutes the keystone of the sequence. Of course, I fcuked it up while Dominik breezed through it again.

By then, we were ready for the highlight of the day: "Guillotine", a two pitch climb graded (20m, 22) and (28m, 24). Standing at its base, the climb (the whole wall in fact) looks amazing. But is it "mindblowing good" as the first (free) ascensionist claims it to be? Perhaps relevant to this thorny question is that an ascentionist can be interpreted, in the mythical sense of the word, to be someone who entered alive the kingdom of heaven. Is the climb that good? Did Neil really go to heaven while on "Guillotine" and came back? (and incidentally, why?)

Well, it is an outstanding climb. I lead the first pitch as instructed i.e. leveraging the tree at the base. Even so, there is no way the beginning qualifies (quantifies?) as a 22. You can climb up that tree, stem on it, hell, you can even hump it if that helps, the moment you let go of it, you're in it for a couple of bolts of v-hard bouldery moves. I'd say that passed the third bolt, you're in 22 territory and a great territory at that. The pitch is very sustained and got me loudly grunting at the crux, a thing I only do on special occasions. I think Dominik got scared a little but wouldn't admit to it.

Neil's tree: climb, stem, whatever it takes to reach that flake.

The second pitch, as mentioned above, is described as "probably soft for the grade". hahahaha. Good one, Neil. Dominik lead that one but didn't breeze through it. The first half is probably grade 22, then the holds become thinner, the overhang steeper and doubts implacable. Relentless fun would be one way of describing it. Dominik loved it more and more until he reached an unprotected blank section. It took him a few goes before he worked the sequence out but when he did it, it was with flair. By the end of the pitch, he was the happiest guy on this side of the Three Sisters with the added bonus of an easy finish along a forgiving flake.

Best day in a long time, I tell you.

On a beautiful sunny Monday, where else would you rather be?

Cheers, François

Myself having reached the first blelay of Guillotine. Fabulous wall, in'it?

Myself 28 meters below Dominik having reached the top of "Guillotine" after some serious climbing.